General dynamics f-16 fighting falcon

Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Val Gempis. Aggressor pilots are highly skilled in U. They provide realism to U.

The F, a highly agile light fighter chosen by the US Air Force in January over the YF , has been the subject of intensive production and several licensing agreements. Among the systems carried by the F are inertial navigation platforms, a Doppler pulse radar, an air data system and a fire control computer. In addition, the aircraft is equipped with a flight computer, fly-by-wire controls, and automatic slats and flaps for the leading and trailing edges. After a test flight against the competing Northrop YF, the General Dynamics product underwent further development and became the larger, more capable FA Fighting Falcon. Thus began an export odyssey that continues today and has seen more than 4, of the F built for 28 nations. Although successive variants have progressively increased in weight, avionics, and capability, all Fighting Falcons retain the key features of the original production model, including Command Configuration Vehicle CCV technology and fly-by-wire controls, as well as a generous thrust-to-weight ratio thanks to a single engine powered by a fixed ventral intake. The result combines good overall performance with exceptional agility, roll rate, climb and acceleration.

General dynamics f-16 fighting falcon

It delivers greater situational awareness, flexibility and quicker all-weather targeting and provides pilots with unprecedented target area detail and digital map displays that can be tailored with slew and zoom features. Air Force in late According to U. Air Force statistics, CFIT incidents account for 26 percent of aircraft losses and a staggering 75 percent of all F pilot fatalities. Lockheed Martin has more than 36 years of weapon integration experience with the F — enabling it to be one of the most versatile multirole fighters ever. No one else can match this weapons integration experience. In concert with the U. Air Force and multiple F Foreign Military Sales customers, Lockheed Martin has certified more than 3, carriage and release configurations for greater than weapon and store types. That means a highly reliable, readily maintainable jet of at least 40 years of service life for most air forces, with no expected extended structural repairs throughout that entire lifetime. The conformal fuel tanks provide increased fuel and added range, without sacrificing the aerodynamic performance of the jet, along with an improved performance engine. The F has more than suppliers around the world. Learn more.

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Designed as an air superiority day fighter , it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft with over 4, built since Air Force, improved versions are being built for export. In , General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation , [5] which became part of Lockheed Martin after a merger with Martin Marietta. The F has an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and 11 hardpoints. In addition to active duty in the U. The F has also been procured by the air forces of 25 other nations. US Vietnam War experience showed the need for air superiority fighters and better air-to-air training for fighter pilots.

It was originally designed and built by General Dynamics , which is now part of Lockheed Martin. The airplane first flew four years later in Over 4, Fs have been built since then. As of , there are more Fs in military use than any other fixed-wing aircraft. The F is able to fly at twice the speed of sound. It is armed with a M61 Vulcan Gatling gun and has eleven places where weapons or other equipment can be attached. It was the first production combat airplane to be designed to be unstable to be easier to turn , and has easier controls to make it highly agile in the air. Its designers also used many other new ideas such as a bubble canopy to help the pilot see better and a control stick on the side of the cockpit to make it easier to steer during tight turns and high g-forces. The F's official name is "Fighting Falcon", but it is often called the "Viper" by its pilots and crews. The nickname came from the fact that the viper snake is known for its deadly fangs and venom, and because the Colonial Viper spacecraft from Battlestar Galactica was popular when the airplane was introduced to the USAF.

General dynamics f-16 fighting falcon

Having stood the test of time with half a century of continuous evolution since its maiden flight in , the F has become a symbol of innovation and adaptability. Designed as a versatile multi-role fighter, the F has served in the air forces of numerous nations more on this later. As we delve into its lengthy evolution, we witness the remarkable journey of an aircraft that has not only withstood the challenges of changing warfare landscapes but has also stood the test of time. The F's journey began in the early s.

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The light weight of the fuselage is achieved without reducing its strength. Authority control databases. Air Force Association. Liz Lutz Alex Curry An M5 tape enabled employment of a wider array of the latest smart weapons, and was first installed in Air Force initially ordered 15 full-scale development FSD aircraft 11 single-seat and four two-seat models for its flight test program which was reduced to eight six FA single-seaters and two FB two-seaters. Bratislava, Slovakia. Retrieved 23 December The F is the world's most widely used fighter and has been utilized by 25 nations. American multi-role fighter aircraft. Air Force, improved versions are being built for export. Aggressor pilots are highly skilled in U. Engineering Applications of Computational Fluid Mechanics. In a program was begun to fit the NFD with a multi-directional thrust-vectoring nozzle, but the program was canceled due to lack of funding later that year.

Designed as an air superiority day fighter , it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft with over 4, built since

Envisioned as a successor to the A , the type was to have received the 'Block 60' designation; however, the A never went into production due to a 26 November Congressional directive to the US Air Force mandating that it retain two wings of As. After a test flight against the competing Northrop YF, the General Dynamics product underwent further development and became the larger, more capable FA Fighting Falcon. At one time, this version was incorrectly thought to have been designated "FU". Air Forces Monthly. Retrieved 19 February Its actual first flight occurred accidentally during a high-speed taxi test on 20 January It adds 30 cu ft L to the airframe for more avionics with only small increases in weight and drag. The FLCC conducts thousands of measurements per second on the aircraft's flight attitude to automatically counter deviations from the pilot-set flight path. The F was designed to be relatively inexpensive to build and simpler to maintain than earlier-generation fighters. For the video game, see Falcon video game series. The F would also be used in the Balkans in the late s and during the War in Afghanistan in and the War in Iraq in Belgium would order , Denmark 58, the Netherlands , and Norway 72 aircraft.